Sprinkler system



J. E. WALLACE ET AL 5 Dec. 17, 1935.

SPRINKLER SYSTEEM Filed Sept. 29, 1932 I 70 Ame/w I fizvelwmw Joknl'g l'peneimilaww ,arles' Balm Patented Dec. 17, 1935- UNITED STATES 2,024,555 7 SPRINKLER SYSTEM John Eugene Wallace, Mansfield, and Charles Dumas, Worcester, Mass.

Application September 29, 1932, Serial No. 635,348

Claims.

In control valves for the supply risers of sprinkler systems, the necessity for prompt and positive action has long been recognized and many efforts have been made to attain that perfection 'so necessary to emergency protection. Another feature recognized and sought has been that of providing avalve free to open under usual service pressures, but also positively operating to remain open even when the opening pressure reduces as is so often the case. To this end various detents and other mechanisms have been introduced into the valve casing but, such have for most part constituted serious obstructions to flow, were expensive to build and unreliable in operation. The great demand is for simplicity particularly in valves for small systems where first cost is a factor and servicing infrequent.

To the end of providing these desired factors we have devised a valve, simple in structure, but having even in small sizes a high capacity and positive action and capable of sustained potential efiiciency over long periods without servicing.

For this we have selected a valve of the apron type as one of known advantage and according to our concept embody such advantage in a valve of reciprocating structure with the desired advantages as will presently appear.

As illustrative of such We have shown in the accompanying drawing an embodiment of great simplicity and of an unusual efiiciency as will be appreciated by those skilled in this art, upon observation of its operation as described.

Throughout the specification and drawing like reference characters are employed to indicate corresponding parts, and in the drawing:

Fig. I is a plan view with cover plate halved and removed.

Fig. II is a vertical section throughthe valve shown.

Fig. III is a section on the line IIIIII, of Fig. II with the shelf ring removed.

Fig. IV is a detail of the action of the flexible edge of the valve in opening.

The valve as shown comprises a vertical casing i having an intake 2 adapted to be connected to the supply and a substantially right angled outlet 3 for the sprinkler system pipe. The casing is fitted with a valve seat 4 formed on the mouth of theintake 2 about which is a channel 5 connected with an alarm port 6. Opposite the valve seat 4 and intake 2 the casing I has an open top giving free access to the interior of the casing when the cover 7 ,is removed.

The casing l is internally counterbored to provide a shoulder 8 on which a ring s seats; On

the inner face of the ring is formed a shelf in having an upward and inward bevel l l. The ring 9 extends upwardly above the shelf l0 and is held in place by an inner flange l2 on the cover 1. The cover I is further provided with a valve stem guide in which the stem of the valve works in its vertical reciprocation, the top opening of the guide being closed by a pressure indicating gauge of any standard manufacture.

The valve consists of upper and lower discs I 5 and I6 clamped by the nut I! on the stem and holding the flexible apron member l8 firmly between them. This flexible member l8 which may be of rubber, leather or composition, seats on a ring' l9 surrounding the annular cavity 5 about the seat 4. Its diameter is such as to cover this ring and at the same time is slightly greater than the least internal diameter of the ring 9. That is to say, it is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the aperture of'the edge of the shelf or ledge It]. The cover 1 and casing I have ears 20 and 2| for bolts or like fastenings.

When in position shown in full lines in Fig. II, the valve disc l6 resting on the seat 4 shuts off the intake 2 and at the same time the apron or flexible annulus I8 seats on the ring I 9 and closes off the annular channel 5 leading to the alarm outlet 6. When the valve is thrown open as indicated in the dotted lines in Fig. II, it is forced upward by the inrush of the water past the incline H and is held on the shelf In on the ring 9. In so doing the flexible apron I8 is slightly bent downwardly as indicated in Fig. IV. This figure shows the valve partly open but not completely open as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. II. When the valve is to be closed it is simply pushed downwardly past the shelf I 0 to its seat. The cover 7 is readily removable for access to the interior of the valve and the ring 9 may be withdrawn for cleaningor other purposes by simply lifting it from its seat 8. This construction of the shelf ring 9 is not only a great convenience in manufacture, assemblyand servicing, but permits the use of a non-corroding or other desired material.

In this way the casing may be made as an inexpensive casting. The angle of disposition of the inlet and outlet ports and the wide open top of the casing make the valve readily accessible and when open give free passage to the Water and an assured flow through the channel 5 and the alarm port 6. y

The flexible apron l8 may be of ample diameter and can be assembled wfthout any possibility of mutilation by simply removing the ring 9 when the valve is put in and replacing it after the valve is in place.

While such a valve under normal operation opens fully and positively to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. II, there are frequently under service conditions occasional minor openings in which the valve is not fully raised, but merely partially opened, and in the normal course of events will water flow into the system to the highest riser and the valve reseats causing a water column pressure which a regular service opening is not able to overcome by reason of the ratio of the valve areas in the two seats.

In order to prevent the formation of such a water column and in order to assure proper drainage we provide a double latching system. This may be termed a high and low system by which the valve stem is caught and held even on a low opening and also on a normal or full opening. Such a system preferably consists of a pair of spaced annular grooves 26 about the valve stem in that part of the valve stem within the guide. These grooves are spaced apart at the desired distance for highand low opening. Between such grooves and "adjacent thereto the valve stem is leftas at 22 with its full cylindrical diameter. Cooperating with'the stem and effective to engage the grooves is a small ball latch 23 normally held against the valve stem by gravity. It is retained inan inclined bore which intersects the valve stem guide by a plug 24. The lower end of this bore is so shaped as at 25 that the ball cannot pass quite entirely through and is always retained in the bore while it is free to rotate on 'its own axis (see Fig. II) The free movement of the ball permits the readyremoval of the valve stem by simply inverting the cover 1 if it is desired to separate the valve from the cover as when the seats 'are wiped off.

Insurance regulations require that after each functional operation for me protection purposes the valve be opened and the valve seat exposed and wiped clean before the'valve is reset for another functional operation. In his haste to reset the valve, however, the workman may omit this cleaning after an operation of the valve, and this omission may lead to leakage at the valve seat and consequent false functioning of the valve and alarms in the absence of any necessity therefor. When, as in our device, the operator removes the cover from the valve in order to tilt it and release the valve stem from the latch, he then has ready access to thevalve seat to wipe the same off and will do this, in accordance with regulations.

The free movement of the ball also permits the ready replacement of the valve on its seat after wiping after which the workmancan simply replace the cover slipping the cover guide down over the valve stern. n a e 7 The operation of the latching means is as follows: Normally, that is to say, when the latch is seated, ball I is out of engagement with groove 26 in stem 22. In the event that the valve becomes partially'opened, the valve is prevented from re-seating by ball 1, which drops into upper groove 26 until more than one-half of the ball is below the locking angle of the ball latch, thus positively latching the valve in its partially open position to prevent the formation of a water column while permitting water to flow through channel!) and port 6 to the alarm operating mechanism.

Valves in accordance with our invention thus have auxiliaryvalve holdihg'*means which'while capable of normal cooperation are also capable of independent positive action without interference with each other. We have therefore indicated in Fig. II, a valve equipped with both features, but it will be understood that either may be omitted if desired or operation may be dependent on one or the other or both according to the conditions of the system in which they are installed.

All these and various other advantages which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, to whom also will occur obvious modification in design in valves of different sizes and various purposes, are to be considered within the scope of our invention if within the limits of the appended claims.

What we therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. A control valve for the riser of a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an intake port and a discharge, a valve seat on said intake port, said casing having an opening opposite to the intake and having an annular inwardly disposed shoulder, a shelf ring on said shoulder having an internal upwardly converging bevel and inwardly overhanging the same, a cover for the opening opposite the intake port and having centrally thereof a valve stem guide, a valve for said seat having a rigid center of smaller diameter than -the internal diameter of the overhanging shelf 30 and an extending flexible edge slightly larger in diameter than that of the internal overhang'of the shelf ring so 'as to 'be flexed and retained thereby in opening, a stem on said valve and movable in said cover guide, said casing having an alarm port adjacent the valve seat and covered by the flexible edge'of the valve when seated.

2. A control valve for the riser of a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an intake port and a discharge atsubstantially right angles 40 thereto, a valve seat on said intake port, said casing having an'opening opposite to and larger than the intake andhaving an annular inwardly disposed shoulder, a shelf ring on said shoulder and inwardly overhanging the same, said overhang having an internal upwardly converging bevel, a cover for the opening opposite the intake port and having bearing internally of the casing on said shelf ring and having centrally thereof a valve stem guide, a valve for said seat having a rigid center of smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the overhanging shelf and an extending flexible edge slightly larger in diameter than that of the internal overhang of the shelf ring so as to be flexed and retained thereby in opening, a stem on said valve and movable in said cover guide, said casing having an alarm port adjacent the valve seat and covered by the flexible edge of the valve when seated.

3. A control valve for the riser of a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an intake port and a discharge at substantially right angles thereto, a valve seat on'said intake port, said casing having an opening opposite to and larger than the intake and having an annular inwardly disposed shoulder, a shelf ring on said shoulder and inwardly overhanging the same, said overhang having an internal upwardly converging bevel, a cover for the opening opposite the intake port and having centrally thereof a valve stem guide, a valve for said seat having a rigid center of smaller diameter than the internal diameter of the overhanging shelf and an extending flexible edge slightly larger in diameter than that of the internal overhang'of'the shelf'ring so as to be flexed and retained therebyin opening, a

stem on said valve and movable in said cover guide, said stem having spaced latching means.

for'high and low opening. e i a 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim,3 including, said casing having an alarm port adjacent to the valve seatandcovered by, the flexible edge of the valve'when closed. 7 r

5. A control valve for the riser of a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an intake port and a discharge at substantially right angles thereto, a valve seat on said intake port and a differential valve seat outwardly concentric thereto, said casing having'an opening opposite the intake port largerthan the differential seat and having an annular internal overhanging shelf formed by an internal upwardly converging bevel.

from the internal diameter of the casing, a cover 7 for said opening opposite to the intake port and having centrally thereof a valve stem guide axial to the casing, a valve for said intake port seat having a rigid center smaller in diameter than the internal diameter of the diiferential seat and an extending flexible edge overlapping thereon with the said flexible edge slightly larger in diameter than the internal over hang of the shelf so as to be flexed and retained thereby in opening, a stem on said valve and freely movable in said cover guide.

6. A control valve for the riser of a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an intake port and discharge substantially at right angles thereto, a valve seat on said intake port, said casing having an opening opposite to and larger than the intake port, a cover for the said opening and having centrally thereof a valve stem guideway axial to the said valve seat, a flexible edged valve for the said seat, said valve being removable through said opening opposite the intake port, and an axial stem on the valve freely movable in the said guideway by reason of clearance between the guideway and stem, said stem having a pair of spaced latching grooves'for holding the valve at high or low opening, a ball chamber adjacent to the saidguideway and having a bore at an upwardly oblique angle from the guideway and a ball therein free tomove unimpeded by slight corrosive action by reason of clearance between the ball and the bore of the chamber, the

said chamber being partially open to the said guideway whereby the ball can enter the guideway sufliciently to engage in the said grooves in the valve stem therein but cannot fall into the guideway if the stem is removed therefrom, the said chamber being closed at its outer end and the ball therein free to move away from any engagement with the said valve stem, the said ball being normally held by gravity at bearing against the said valve stem outside of the said latching grooves when the valve is closed and entering one of the latching grooves to latch the valve in open position when such groove is presented to the ball by the rising of the valve stem, said ball chamber being so arranged that so long as the valve casing is operatively connected to a sprinkler system the ball chamber cannot be so tilted .as to release the ball from latching engagement with the valve stem except by removing the cover from the valve casing.

7. A control valve for the riser of a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an intake port and an outlet, a valve seat on said intake port, said casing having an opening opposite to and larger than the intake, a cover for the opening opposite the intake port, said cover having a 3 valve stem guide axial to the intake port, a flexible edge valve for said seat, said valve removable throughsaid opening opposite the intake port, and a stem on said valve and movable in said cover guide, said stem having a latching 5 groove, a ball latch disposed in a chamber in said cover, said chamber communicating with-the valve stem guide and being inclined from the axis of the valve stem at an angle upwardly oblique thereto when said cover is on the valve in operative position, whereby when the cover is :in operative position on the valve the ball will fall by gravity partially into the latching groove when the valve rises and will fall by gravity out of the latching groove when the cover 15 is detached from the casing and so tilted that the ball chamber is inclined downwardly away from the valve stem guide, the ball normally bearingon the valve stem outside the latching groove. when the valve is closed and the 'cover 20 is attached thereto in operative position, the ball chamber being so restricted adjacent the valve stem guide that the ball can engage the latching groove on the valve stem but cannot fall entirely into the valve stem guide when the valve 5 stem is removed therefrom.

8. A control valve for the riser of a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an intake port and'a discharge port, an opening in the casing opposite the intake port, a cover for said 30 opening, a valve stem guide opposite the intake port, a gravity ball latch including a ball movable in a chamber which is positioned in the cover at an angle upwardly oblique to the said valve stem guide when the cover is on the valve in 35 operative position, a valve for said intake port, said valve removable from the casing through the opening opposite the intake port, said valve having a stem movable within the valve stem guide, means on the valve stem adapted to co- 0 operate with the latching ball in holding the valve open, the angle of action of the latching ball being such that the line of pressure from the co-operating means on the valve stem through the center of the ball will be so related to the 45 line of movement of the ball in its "chamber as to cause crowding of the ball against the cooperating means on the stem to hold the valve open, the ball dropping by gravity out of latching position to release the valve stem when the 50 cover is detached and so tilted that the bail chamber is inclined downwardly away from the valve stem guide, and means to prevent the ball falling into the valve stem guide when the valve stem is removed from said guide.

9..A control valve for the riser of a sprinkler system comprising a casing having an intake port and a discharge port, an opening opposite the intake port, a valve seat adjacent said intake port, a cover for the casinghaving a valve stem guideway opposite the said valve seat, a flexible edge valve for the intake port, said valve being removable from the casing through said opening opposite the intake port and having a stem movable in the guideway, said stem having latch receiving means for holding the valve open, a ball chamber adjacent the said guideway having a bore which is positioned at an upwardly oblique angle to the plane of the guideway when the cover is on the casing in operative position and a latching ball in said ball chamber and movable therein by gravity, the said ball chamber being restricted at the end adjacent the said guideway whereby the ball can engage the latch receiving means on the valve stem but cannot fall into the 75 guideway'if the stem removed therefrom, said ball moving by gravity out of latching engagement with the valve stem only when the. cover system comprising a casing provided with amino-- take port and a valve seat adjacent said intake port, an opening in the casing opposite the intake port and a cover for said opening, the cover having a valve stem guideway therein, a valve for the intake port having a stem movable in the guideway, said valve removable from the casing through the opening opposite the intake port, said valve stem having latch receiving means for holding the valve open, a latch chamber communicating with the valve stem guideway in the cover, said chamber being positioned at an upwardly oblique angle to the plane of the guideaozgaw:

wayrwhensthe coveris onthe casing in operative positiom-aulatch'movable in said chamber and adapted :toco-operate with the latch receiving means on the valve stem to hold the valve in the open: position," the latch advancing by gravity into-latching positiomat' a predetermined positionaof; thevalve stem' in the guideway and falling by gravity out of latching-position only when the: cover is.removed from the. valve and so tilted that: th'el-latchich'amber is' inclined downwardly away from the valve stem guide, the latch chamber being" provided with restraining means whereby when the assembly-is in operative position in asprinkler system the latch can advance toward the: valve stemisuflici'entlyv to engage the co-operatingvlatchingi means on the valve stem but cannot iiallinto theguideway ifv the valve stem is removed therefrom.

JOHN EUGENE WALLACE. CHARLES DUMAS. 

